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Tony Craddock, Jr.
ONE STORMY AFTERNOON AT THE AGE OF EIGHT…
Tony discovered smooth jazz on The Weather Channel’s “Local on the 8s.” His life would never be the same. The catchy melodies in the background of the forecast segments led him to the saxophone and his passions for music and meteorology became inseparable. These interests followed him to Cornell University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric Science and founded the student-led jazz/soul ensemble, After Six. Now, he uses his saxophone to usher an uplifting breeze of inspiration into the minds and spirits of listeners — a sound he calls “Cold Front Music.”
Tony’s latest album H2O is produced by Grammy-nominated jazz guitarist Ken Navarro and features Grammy-winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum on a soul stirring offering of “Amazing Grace.” The album’s single “Living Water” aired on Sirius XM Watercolors, Music Choice Smooth Jazz, more than forty radio stations in the U.S., U.K. and Poland, and climbed to #13 on the British Smooth Jazz Chart. Tony’s newest single “Magnetic” hit #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Jazz Releases and was added to Spotify’s “Sax in the City” playlist with nearly 200,000 followers. His career began in 2011 with his debut release Christmas in the Air, which was featured on The Weather Channel and brought his music back to the place where his love for jazz and weather began. That year also marked the launch of his independent music label Cold Front Music, LLC.
He has headlined at some of the premiere festivals, concert series and jazz clubs in the U.S., including the Hub City Jazz Festival, City Winery D.C., Bethesda Blues & Jazz, The Tin Pan, and D.C.’s Jazz in the Garden. Tony has also performed the national anthem for the NBA and WNBA, and shared his music at church worship services and events throughout the Mid-Atlantic. His band, Tony Craddock, Jr. & Cold Front, blends jazz, gospel and R&B/soul, with uplifting weather and faith-based storytelling that’s a staple at their shows. He has been blessed to share the stage with award- winning artists Norman Connors, Jean Carne, Ken Navarro, Ben Tankard, Luther Barnes, Kim Jordan, and Kayla Waters.
One of his newest musical ventures is founding and producing the Cold Front Music Festival. In 2021, its inaugural year, the festival will feature Tony along with Stellar and Dove award-nominated singer/songwriter Lisa McClendon, Grammy-winning keyboardist/producer Daniel Weatherspoon, chart-topping jazz guitarist Ken Navarro and emerging smooth jazz keyboardist Chan Hall.
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